Nov. 20, 2008
Box Score
BOSTON - Led by a game-high 20 points from senior Jesyka Burks-Wiley, the Boston University women's basketball team (2-0) cruised to an 84-61 victory over Siena (0-3) on Thursday evening in the home opener at Case Gym. Seniors Amarachi Umez-Eronini and Kristi Dini contributed 18 and 14 points, respectively, and the Terriers shot 50 percent from behind the arc to extend their unbeaten streak at The Roof to 14 games.
BU was 9-for-18 from the 3-point line and outrebounded the Saints by a 44-30 margin, while also forcing 17 miscues from the Saints. Off those turnovers, BU was able to post 21 points.
In the victory, Burks-Wiley, who was one point shy of matching a career best and named the America East Player of the Game, pulled down a team-high seven boards and Dini collected a career-high four steals. The Terriers also got a solid game out of senior Christine Kinneary, who chipped in eight points with eight assists and two steals.
BU came out strong and never looked back, opening on an 11-2 spurt and holding Siena in single digits through the first 12 minutes of the contest. By 13:05, the Terriers owned a commanding 28-11 advantage and had already forced 11 turnovers from the Saints. Heading into the locker rooms at halftime, the Terriers led by 17 and Burks-Wiley and Umez-Eronini were already in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
In the second half, Siena attempted a comeback and was able to get within nine points, 50-41, cutting the deficit into single digits for the first time since the sixth minute of the game. However, a trey from freshman Alex Young and a lay-up from junior Aly Hinton put BU up by 12 and it went on to post an insurmountable 24-point lead - its largest of the game - before closing out the contest with an 84-61 victory.
BU will now embark on a five-game road stretch, beginning with the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge, hosted by Iowa, which was the 2008 Big Ten's regular-season champion and an at-large selection to the NCAA tournament. Portland and Providence will be potential second-day foes in the tourney.
